Why More Women Seeking PRP Treatments for Thinning Hair

The majority of hair growth procedures and at-home products are marketed toward men, capitalizing on middle-aged anxieties over premature balding. But in recent years, a number of women–both young and old–have pursued restorative therapies and surgeries to attend to their own thinning manes. Medical and cosmetic practices are picking up on the PRP trend, utilizing the versatile therapy to deliver promising results for ladies looking for a thicker, fuller head of hair.

PRP Treatments For Thinning Hair In Women

“A lot of women have thinning of their hair, which they are not happy, as they age.” says the country’s top dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Rapaport, MD. in an interview with Real Self. And most of them are hereditary it seems.

Jeffrey says it’s like “rolling a rock up the hill.” You must do something proactively before it happens otherwise it’d be harder. Nowadays, there’s a surgical otion where they’ll transplant your scalp with hairs. Or you could get anti-DHT stuff which in long term causes some side effects in women.

But according to Dr. Rapaport, PRP is a game-changer. He says, “we’ve been doing that in our office for about 6 months and we’ve been getting excellent, excellent results.” He adds that PRP treatments are especially effective for cases of androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness).

Dr. Rapport Explains Why PRP Treatments Are Not Popular

Even though PRP has been used for years in orthopedics, sports medicine and cosmetic surgeries, it hasn’t been getting much mainstream exposure. That’s because of nothing but economics. “No one has done double blind studies because, right now, there really is no drug company that’s going to take this on because there’s no profit motive for them,” says Dr. Rapaport.

Yet, scrores of women are attracted to the non-surgical option they find in platelet rich plasma treatment, as it allows them a preventative or restorative supplement to their existing hair maintenance routines. Despite the lack of press, women have been seeking cures for their thinning locks for years, attempting laser therapies, topical solutions, supplements, changes in diet, among other sometimes effective remedies. A brief look at the hair loss industry proves men have access to more medical options than women, and their treatments have yielded overall better results.

Here’s a Video of a Woman’s 8th PRP Treatment:

This woman writes, “My goal at this point is really just to slow the progression (and I do know it will keep progressing no matter what) and keeping the shedding at a reduced state. The fact that my hair is looking fuller , softer and a bit healthier is really a bonus for me, and something I’m very happy about! I’ve communicated with many women who have had this done, many have felt it has been an amazing and beneficial thing in their lives, and others found it did’t help at all – and that’s the way it will always be with any hair loss treatment.”

The social ramifications of hair loss, unfortunately, are much more significant for women than for men. PRP has brought ladies from all over the world to a few select American practices that specialize in the treatment, and they fly in for just a brief hour long therapy session right in the doctor’s office. In a recent New York Times article, Florida-based physician Dr. Joseph Greco claims to see improvement in about 80% of his patients, and the majority of those seeking the therapy are women.

How Does PRP Work for Women’s Hair Growth?

The procedure stimulates the skin, scalp and hair follicles on the head, helping dormant strands surface for a fuller, more abundant look. Once in the office, the doctor will draw the patient’s blood, spin it in a centrifuge to extract nutrient-rich platelets, and prepare the plasma for injection. Women receive local anesthesia to numb the pain, and the healthy mixture is injected across the scalp. There are no major side effects, and patients normally leave the office and see palpable results within a month. Some women seek the PRP procedure as often as every 3 to 4 months, as doctors have seen improved hair regeneration with regular treatment.

For women, the safe and natural alternative to more invasive surgeries, which have historically low performance in female subjects, is a godsend. PRP’s stimulation of stem cells in the hair follicle has actually shown better results in women than in men, which experts say is related to hereditary factors. Dr. Carlos Wesley, a Manhattan hair restoration surgeon, says he has observed an 83% increase in female patients, something he attributes to his practice’s debut of the treatment.

What Are The Causes of Women’s Hair Loss?

Female patients seeking PRP Treatments experience hair loss due to a array of reasons, and they go well beyond the natural effects of aging. Practices offering PRP treatments see women with hair loss related to:

• Hereditary factors
• Pregnancy
• Menopause
• Stress
• Hormone imbalance
• Chemotherapy treatments for cancer
• Thyroid disorders
• Anemia
• Autoimmune diseases
• Psoriasis and other skin conditions
• Damage from chemicals, dyes, and heat styling tools

Diversify Your Practice to Meet the Needs of Female Patients

Dermatologists and other doctors are experiencing great female interest in their services when incorporating PRP treatments for thinning hair. Popular hair restoration drugs on the market are not approved for women because of their specific hormonal makeup. Simply put, the industry caters less to women because severe sufferers are few and far between compared to men. But for the millions of ladies who endure progressive or overnight hair loss, the impact is devastating. Women seek cosmetic procedures much more enthusiastically than their male counterparts, and when it comes to their flowing locks, there’s no price tag on beauty.

To learn how to prepare Platelet-Rich Plasma using Dr.PRP Kit, click here to watch video.